SETA DC

As the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East continues to evolve, several key developments have introduced new dynamics in Turkish-Iranian bilateral ties. The shifting dynamics in Syria have placed Tehran at odds with Ankara during the crisis, but the two regional powers have managed to engage in dialogue through the Astana process, alongside Russia. As Turkish-Syrian relations have shown signs of thawing in recent months, the potential implications for Türkiye-Iran relations remain uncertain. The recent Iran-Saudi Arabia deal, brokered by China, marks a significant milestone in regional diplomacy in a new era of rapprochement between two long-term rivals. The ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, as well as the lack of progress in the nuclear file, have potentially significant implications for Türkiye’s relations with Iran. How will the Astana process impact their bilateral ties? Can the Iran-Saudi rapprochement open new doors for stability in the Middle East? What role does Iran’s nuclear program play in shaping Türkiye’s perspective on the regional dynamics?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to convene a panel of experts to shed light on the complex regional factors influencing Turkish-Iranian bilateral ties.

Speakers

Alex Vatanka, Founding Director of the Iran Program, Middle East Institute

Hakkı Uygur, President, Center for Iranian Studies (İRAM)

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

Moderator

Kilic Kanat, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

With the start of the war in Ukraine, NATO has been faced with numerous challenges including reassuring allies, reinforcing common defense, and considering the alliance’s enlargement to the north. Finland and Sweden’s requests for a fast-track NATO membership emerged as a significant focus for the alliance, as these countries decided to abandon their historically neutral position toward Russia. Türkiye sought assurances from these candidate countries regarding terrorism as a prerequisite for joining NATO. Having completed the items outlined in the Trilateral agreement, Finland became the 31st NATO member after receiving Türkiye’s endorsement. Even though Ankara supports NATO’s open door policy as a matter of principle, it expects Sweden to assuage Turkish concerns prior to admission. What implications will Finland’s accession to NATO have on the future of NATO? Can Sweden meet the Turkish expectations before the NATO Summit in July in Vilnius? What are the implications of NATO’s enlargement for Ukraine’s hopes for membership?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a distinguished expert panel discussion on NATO’s enlargement with Finland’s entry, Türkiye’s reservations about Sweden’s application, and the growing support for Ukraine’s membership.

Speakers

Amb. James Jeffrey, Chair of the Middle East Program at Wilson Center

Burhanettin Duran, General Coordinator at The SETA Foundation

Kilic Kanat, Research Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

Moderator

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

In recent months, tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean reached new heights amidst war of words between Greek and Turkish leadership. Türkiye has accused Greece of militarizing the Aegean islands in contravention of international agreements while the Greek leadership leveled accused Turkey of threatening Greek sovereignty. Türkiye has also expressed its discomfort with American military hardware to be deployed to the islands and the recent lifting of arms embargo to Greek Cypriots. The two NATO allies, Greece and Türkiye, have had these episodes of increased tensions in the past but this latest round might have serious implications for the unity within the alliance in the wake of the war in Ukraine. There are also concerns about traditional U.S. policy of keeping the balance between Greece and Türkiye in terms of arms sales and transfers.

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to organize an expert panel discussion on the dynamics and future implications of recent tensions between Greece and Turkiye.

Speakers

Mitat Çelikpala, Professor of International Relations and the Dean of Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences at Kadir Has University

Nurşin Güney, Professor of International Relations at Nişantaşı University

Kılıç Kanat, Research Director, SETA DC

Moderator

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director

Türkiye has pursued a policy of support for Ukraine while maintaining relations with Russia since the outbreak of the war more than six months ago. The Russian invasion has met unprecedented Western sanctions while Türkiye focused on bringing Ukrainian and Russian sides to the table for negotiations to end the conflict. Even though the initial attempts at a ceasefire ultimately failed, Türkiye continued to push for a diplomatic breakthrough. The most recent Ukrainian grain exports deal has been hailed as a major accomplishment to alleviate the global food crises. Turkish President Erdogan recently paid a visit to Ukraine and signed agreements for reconstruction after meeting Ukrainian President Zelensky. As the West is focused on a sanctions policy and is increasingly threatened by exploding energy prices, Türkiye remains focused on a policy of balancing its support for Ukraine with continued relations with Russia.

What are the dynamics pushing Türkiye to pursue a policy of engagement with both Ukraine and Russia? What are the chances of further diplomatic breakthroughs? How can the Western sanctions be reconciled with Türkiye’s approach?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a panel of distinguished experts to discuss these questions and more.

Yevgeniya Gaber, Senior Fellow at Centre in Modern Turkish Studies at Carleton University

Rich Outzen, Nonresident Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director at SETA DC

Kılıç Kanat, Research Director at SETA DC

The July 15 failed coup attempt of 2016 has served as a major turning point in Turkish political history. The event came as a major shock to most observers of Türkiye, leaving a legacy that has continued to impact Turkish politics in even the most fundamental ways. As Türkiye was already grappling with tectonic shifts in the Middle East, the country was faced with an unprecedented challenge of rooting out the perpetrators of the coup attempt. Addressing the political, security, bureaucratic, economic, and social impact of this historic moment has been a top priority for Turkish political actors. Domestic changes inside Türkiye have pushed the country towards a more ambitious foreign policy within the region as well. Turkish-American relations have also been redefined amidst regional instability and the war in Ukraine. It has been a challenge for many observers to assess the impact of the coup attempt on Türkiye’s domestic and foreign policies.

How did the July 15 coup attempt change domestic politics? What are the major changes in Turkish foreign policy in the past six years? How has the Turkish-American relationship been impacted by the failed coup attempt?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a conference on the legacy of the July 15 coup attempt in Turkish politics and foreign policy.

Speakers:

Amb. James F. Jeffrey, Chair of the Middle East Program, Wilson Center

Amb. Ahmet Yıldız, Member of Turkish Parliament and Former Deputy Foreign Minister of Türkiye

Moderator: 

Kilic Kanat, Research Director, SETA Foundation at Washington D.C.

The July 15 failed coup attempt of 2016 has served as a major turning point in Turkish political history. The event came as a major shock to most observers of Türkiye, leaving a legacy that has continued to impact Turkish politics in even the most fundamental ways. As Türkiye was already grappling with tectonic shifts in the Middle East, the country was faced with an unprecedented challenge of rooting out the perpetrators of the coup attempt. Addressing the political, security, bureaucratic, economic, and social impact of this historic moment has been a top priority for Turkish political actors. Domestic changes inside Türkiye have pushed the country towards a more ambitious foreign policy within the region as well. Turkish-American relations have also been redefined amidst regional instability and the war in Ukraine. It has been a challenge for many observers to assess the impact of the coup attempt on Türkiye’s domestic and foreign policies.

How did the July 15 coup attempt change domestic politics? What are the major changes in Turkish foreign policy in the past six years? How has the Turkish-American relationship been impacted by the failed coup attempt?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a conference on the legacy of the July 15 coup attempt in Turkish politics and foreign policy.

Speakers: 

Rich Outzen, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council

Muhittin Ataman, Faculty Member, Social Sciences University of Ankara

Moderator: 

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, SETA Foundation at Washington D.C.

The July 15 failed coup attempt of 2016 has served as a major turning point in Turkish political history. The event came as a major shock to most observers of Türkiye, leaving a legacy that has continued to impact Turkish politics in even the most fundamental ways. As Türkiye was already grappling with tectonic shifts in the Middle East, the country was faced with an unprecedented challenge of rooting out the perpetrators of the coup attempt. Addressing the political, security, bureaucratic, economic, and social impact of this historic moment has been a top priority for Turkish political actors. Domestic changes inside Türkiye have pushed the country towards a more ambitious foreign policy within the region as well. Turkish-American relations have also been redefined amidst regional instability and the war in Ukraine. It has been a challenge for many observers to assess the impact of the coup attempt on Türkiye’s domestic and foreign policies.

How did the July 15 coup attempt change domestic politics? What are the major changes in Turkish foreign policy in the past six years? How has the Turkish-American relationship been impacted by the failed coup attempt?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a conference on the legacy of the July 15 coup attempt in Turkish politics and foreign policy.

Speakers:

Yasin Aktay, Former Member of Parliament and Advisor to the AK Party Chairman

Burhanettin Duran, General Coordinator, The SETA Foundation

Moderator: 

Tugba Eksi, Research Assistant, SETA Foundation at Washington D.C.

NATO will adopt its new Strategic Concept at the 2022 Madrid Summit. As part of the preparations for the new document, an official report titled “NATO 2030: United for a New Era” shared the new priorities of the Alliance with the public in November 2020. The report recommends to the allies to update the Concept regarding the emerging challenge of China, terrorism in all its forms, and increasing role of hybrid threats. It also urges NATO members to be ready not just militarily but also politically. In the context of the Russia-Ukraine war and other challenges facing the alliance, the Concept is expected to clarify NATO’s strategic vision to be implemented in the years ahead.

Which security challenges will define the Alliance’s updated key document? How will the new Strategic Concept help achieve unity mentioned in the 2020 report? How will the new security environment drive NATO’s strategic adaptation and military development?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a panel of distinguished experts to discuss the implications of NATO’s new Strategic Concept.

Charles A. Kupchan, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

Mustafa Kibaroğlu, Professor, MEF University

Kadir Üstün, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington, DC

Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO last month, breaking their long-standing neutral status following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As fears about potential Russian military actions in Eastern Europe and the Baltic region reached their highest levels in years, Türkiye has voiced its reservations about Finland and Sweden’s membership applications. Citing the two Nordic countries’ stances on terrorism, the Turkish leadership has indicated that Finland and Sweden need to take “concrete steps” to address Türkiye’s concerns. Expressing hope that the Turkish reservations can be overcome, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Türkiye’s concerns about terrorism were legitimate. As we approach NATO’s Madrid Summit at the end of June, it remains unclear how the NATO members will handle Finland and Sweden’s inclusion in the alliance given Turkish objections.

How will Türkiye’s position shape NATO’s enlargement prospects? Can NATO members address the issues raised by Türkiye? What lies ahead for NATO’s internal unity on enlargement in the wake of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a panel of distinguished experts to analyze the future of NATO enlargement and its implications for the international system.

Luke Coffey, Director, Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies, The Heritage Foundation

Burhanettin Duran, General Coordinator, The SETA Foundation

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

Eurasia’s major powers—China, Iran, Russia, and Turkey—increasingly intervene across their borders while seeking to pull their smaller neighbors more firmly into their respective orbits. While analysts have focused on the role of leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in explaining this drive to dominate neighbors and pull away from the Western-dominated international system, they have paid less attention to the role of imperial legacies. Jeffrey Mankoff argues that what unites these contemporary Eurasian powers is their status as heirs to vast terrestrial empires, whose collapse left all four states deeply entangled with the lands and peoples along their peripheries but outside their formal borders. Today, they have all found new opportunities to project power within and beyond their borders in patterns shaped by their respective imperial pasts. (Yale Press)

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a discussion with Jeffrey Mankoff on his recently published book, "Empires of Eurasia: How Imperial Legacies Shape International Security."

Speaker

Jeffrey Mankoff, Distinguished Research Fellow, Institute for National Strategic Studies at National Defense University

Moderator

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington, DC